


Mornings at the Potters

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Fandom Events JL [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Domestic, Established Relationship, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Kissing, Marauders' Era, Morning Routines, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 04:17:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16865968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: James and Lily's morning routines were utterly incompatible, but thankfully living together had taught them to compromise.





	Mornings at the Potters

**Author's Note:**

> Jilychallenge March 2018  
>  **Prompt:** james was the most frustrating person to be around in the morning - vanishing hash browns as lily went to stab them and picking bacon of her plate - lily had often threatened divorce at least 5 times before 9am

James opened his eyes and was instantly awake. He grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and perched them on.

A glance at the clock told him it was twenty minutes past six.

Lily’s steady breathing filled the room, and James turned to look at his wife. She was still fast asleep, looking peaceful with her dark-red hair adorably tousled and her hand curled by her cheek on the pillow.

He’d love to gather her into his arms and stay in bed – but he knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep and he didn’t want to wake Lily. 

And as much as he enjoyed watching his wife, knowing both Lily and himself, he’d grow bored long before Lily would wake up.

He slid out of the bed carefully, gathered his wand and clothes as soundlessly as he could and tip-toed out of the room. He dressed on the upstairs landing and then headed downstairs, his steps light.

The cat appeared the moment James stepped into the kitchen, weaving around his legs. He obligingly filled the food bowl and checked the cat had fresh water. He had a glass of water for himself, before heading to the hall.

James had a habit of going jogging in the morning. 

A habit that started in the summer before his fifth year in Hogwarts – and mostly in the hopes that the workout might help to get attention from the girls at school.

Or rather, one girl in particular.

James grinned to himself. Jogging had likely had very little to do with it, but he had got the girl in the end.

The morning jog, however, had long since become a comfortable routine.

Once, he’d asked if Lily would like to join him sometime. She had laughed to his face.

They had agreed to disagree, which probably was for the best. Those couples that did everything together were a little creepy, anyway.

A delivery owl was waiting with the Daily Prophet outside the kitchen window when James got back from his jog, the stern bird engaged in an intense staring contest with the cat.

He shooed the cat away, opened the window to get the paper and dug coins out of the bowl on the kitchen counter to pay the delivery owl. It hooted softly and took off on soundless wings.

James made coffee and added a charm that’d keep the drink hot as he poured it into a mug.

Then he put the kettle on and got out the eggs, and a short while later he took his seat at the kitchen table, with a large cup of tea, a generous helping of breakfast, and the day’s newspaper.

* * *

 

Lily woke up and spent a few long moments blinking blearily and rubbing her eyes. Then, she groped for her wand on the bedside table and sat up, the blanket falling off her shoulders to pool around her waist.

Light was pouring into the room through the thick curtains, which told Lily that the morning was in full swing.

She braced herself and then opened the curtains with a decisive flick of her wand.

Cheerful sunlight flooded the room and Lily hissed and blinked furiously to adjust to the sudden and offensive brightness.

Another swish of her wand summoned her slippers from wherever she’d toed them off last night. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, slid her feet into the slippers and got up with a groan.

She crossed the room, dragging her feet. Picked up her robe from the armrest of the chair in the corner and pulled it on.

As Lily made her way downstairs, a huge yawn brought tears to her eyes.

She stumbled into the kitchen and made a beeline to the mug of hot coffee on the counter. She raised the mug to her lips, took a long scalding sip – and felt a little more alive.

Lily crossed to the kitchen table and plopped down into a chair opposite from her husband.

James looked up from his crossword and flashed her a grin.

“Morning, love! Sleep well?”

Lily grunted and sipped more coffee. She would never understand how anyone could be so cheerful in the morning.

It was so frustrating to see, even though he was much,  _much_  better now from what he’d been like before.

In the early days of living together, the mornings had been horrible, and James had been  _insufferable_. He’d learned the hard way – and after Lily had threatened to break up with him one too many times – to leave her be until she’d wake up for good.

Any efforts to cheer her up were not appreciated; clever jokes or vanishing bacon off her plate wouldn’t make Lily less grumpy in the morning. If it was before 9 am, there was a good chance that her sense of humour would still be slumbering.

James had also learned to have coffee ready and waiting for her, which was actually very sweet. Not having to make breakfast didn’t hurt, either.

Still… Lily felt frustrated by their situation. Perhaps her expectations of living together with the person she loved had been coloured by naïve and romantic notions… but she’d been looking forward to lazy mornings together, of waking up in James’ arms, of his smile being the first thing she would see.

And that obviously hadn’t happened. As well as she and James got along in virtually any other area, their morning routines – and moods – were utterly incompatible.

After finishing both breakfast and the coffee, Lily was almost up to her normal speed.

She met James’ eyes, let the corners of her lips twitch into something that was almost a smile, and wished him a good morning.

* * *

 

Lily woke up and stretched, luxuriating in the comforting warmth before she forced her sleepy eyes open. She blinked, waiting for her lids to feel less heavy, and rolled over to her side, pressing closer to James. She broke into a yawn, even as James’ fingers brushed an errant strand of hair from her face.

“Good morning, love.”

“Mmmmh,” was Lily’s reply, before she burrowed closer to his chest, inhaled his scent.

“Did you sleep well?” James asked, his voice a soft murmur.

“Too well,” Lily managed, turning her head to meet his eyes. “I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“I didn’t come in until it was late, so I’m glad I didn’t wake you up.”

Lily’s fingers curled around his arm. “I’m not,” she mumbled, remembering the all-too-familiar mixture of restlessness and fear which had hounded her all last night, ever since James had left to take care of some Order business early in the evening.

James’ hazel eyes softened in understanding, and he leaned in to press a kiss on Lily’s forehead.

“All right, Lily?” he asked, stroking her hair.

“Yes,” Lily sighed, her eyes fluttering shut. “But if  _you_  weren’t all right I wouldn’t be.”

“I made it back in one piece,” James replied, his voice light even though the humour didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Lily hugged him close, while she fought to keep the fear in her heart locked up and held back the two words flashing in her mind.

_This time_.

Desperate to lighten the mood, she pulled back from the embrace and looked James in the eye.

“So this is nice.”

“Nice is one word for it,” James teased, his fingers still running through her hair.

“You need to stop waking up so bloody early,” Lily griped, before leaning in to press a lingering kiss on James’ jaw. “We should do this more often.”

“We should,” James agreed, his eyes hooded, his hand leaving Lily’s hair to travel down her spine. “I guess I need to practise sleeping in.”

“Yes, do that.”

Lily kissed him, soft and sweet, as James’ hand splayed on the small of her back and pulled her closer.

And then the kiss grew less sweet and more insistent, as James’ tongue persuaded Lily to part her lips. Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she lost herself in the moment; in him.

After forever, they came apart.

James’ eyes were alight, his face still so close to hers his lips almost brushing her skin as he murmured: “I’ll start practising tomorrow.”

Lily wove her fingers in his hair, her smile a wonder of love and light.

“Good,” she whispered against his lips, before losing herself in another kiss.


End file.
